Luke Humphries admits that he must raise his game if he hopes to defend his World Grand Prix crown and confesses that he would have liked to see defending champion Luke Littler stay in the tournament longer. The 2023 champion, who has been runner‑up in the last two editions of the double‑start major, delivered a rather uninspired display in his straight‑sets win over Dave Chisnall at the Mattioli Arena.

The world No. 2 managed to hit less than 27 percent of his checkout attempts and posted an average of 80.41 – his lowest figure at this event since 2022.

Despite the sub‑par numbers, he was relieved not to join Littler and Michael van Gerwen as first‑round casualties. "That was probably one of the worst outings I've ever had on a World Grand Prix stage," Humphries said after the match.

"I never felt comfortable throughout the whole thing. The doubles weren’t clicking at the start, my scoring was terrible and I think Dave ‘Chizzy’ Chisnall just wasn’t at his best either." He added, "It wasn’t a good performance, but I’m through and when I face Jermaine Wattimena on Thursday I hope you won’t see a repeat of this." With defending champion Luke Littler suffering a shock loss to Luke Woodhouse, Humphries now finds himself the favorite to lift the trophy.

Yet he acknowledges that the elimination of the world No. 1 adds a new layer of pressure. "I hate it when he loses because it instantly puts the spotlight on me.

Everyone starts saying, ‘this is your chance to win’, and that can be overwhelming," Humphries explained. "I’d rather he stay in the draw and be the favorite, so I can try to sneak my way to the final." Humphries’ 2023 triumph was his first PDC‑ranked television title and sparked a strong finish to the season.

Since then, however, the player known as ‘Cool Hand’ has endured a string of runner‑up finishes in major events after his World Masters and Premier League victories last year. "I feel like I deserve a major – I’ve lost six or seven finals now," he said. "I played a superb Premier League final and a World Masters final, both at a 105 average, and still came up short. It’s tough to swallow." He continued, "If you play anyone else in the world, they probably won’t beat you, but when you’re up against a phenom like Luke Littler, he can take you out.

I know I deserve a title, but sometimes life doesn’t hand you what you think you’ve earned." Humphries believes the answer lies in winning four more matches and delivering a markedly better performance than the one he just gave. "If I can repeat that level, I’ll be lucky to reach the quarters or semis," he said. During his progression to the last 16, the former world champion sparked curiosity on social media by appearing on stage with a noticeable scab on his scalp. He dismissed any concerns about it affecting his play.

"I wanted to tell a dramatic story about battling five opponents and emerging victorious, but the truth is there isn’t much to it," Humphries admitted. "I filmed Bullseye on Tuesday, woke up Wednesday with a huge rash on the side of my head, and it kept getting worse until it scabbed over." He speculated that the reaction might be linked to makeup and creams used for TV appearances. "When you do TV shows they put a lot of makeup on, and I think I had an allergic reaction to something they applied. I haven’t seen a doctor yet, but it looks like an allergic response to the products they used on my head and face.

I’m otherwise fine." Looking ahead, Humphries will aim to tighten his doubles, improve his scoring consistency, and keep his checkout percentage up as he battles through the later stages of the World Grand Prix. The tournament continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports each day, culminating in the final on Sunday, with streaming options available via NOW without a contract. The stakes are high for Humphries, who knows that every missed double and every low average could be the difference between lifting the trophy and watching another year slip by. His determination to turn a disappointing performance into a catalyst for improvement will be tested against a field that, without Littler, now looks both more open and more demanding.

If he can harness the pressure and convert it into focused, high‑quality darts, he may finally claim the major title he feels he deserves.